How Do Vaccine Boosters Work?

28 de septiembre de 2021

3 min de lectura

With vaccines underway against COVID, scientists and medical professionals are now discussing whether or not a vaccinated individual needs a booster shot, or an additional dose of the vaccine given for added protection. While the vaccine has been years in the works, its use is still fairly new.

Research is ongoing to see how a booster may help protect you further against COVID, but experts in the field have recently announced the goal of having boosters available as early as this fall.

What are Vaccine Booster Shots?

When you receive the vaccine, your body adjusts to the new medication and begins to build immunity to the disease the vaccine is protecting you from. For added protection, one might take a booster shot which strengthens or continues your body’s immune response.

How Do Vaccine Booster Shots Work?

Vaccine boosters help to increase our immunity to deadly diseases. By keeping ourselves vaccinated, we create herd immunity which protects the vulnerable and those unable to be vaccinated. Essentially, your shot protects others. Getting a booster shot is just like getting the original vaccine, yet this time your body will use it to continue to fight.

Who Needs Vaccine Booster Shots?

Needing a booster shot can depend on a variety of factors such as age, immune system, and past exposure to a disease. For instance, people who live in areas that are prone to disease outbreaks or seniors or others with lesser immune systems would benefit from booster shots for added protection.

Additionally, boosters might be needed to those who have not had exposure and a natural immunity boost. The more exposure to a disease, the larger the chance for your body to build up its defense. For instance, since so many people now have the chickenpox vaccination, we do not come in contact with it as much. Therefore, our body does not have the chance to protect and fight it. Having a booster would help give our body the chance to boost its immune system against diseases such as chickenpox.

About the COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

Starting in Fall of 2021, there is a goal of having COVID vaccine booster shots available. However, there will be guidelines and factors that will play into getting a booster shot once they are ready.

Review

Before this can take place, the plan has to be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and go through the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This must take place to ensure the safety not only of the vaccine but also to make sure the booster will do what it is supposed to do and have maximum effectiveness. They will also review the timeline, the dosage, and other guidelines based on scientific evidence put forth.

Most at-risk

Like the initial vaccine, the booster will most likely go to those who are at-risk first. This would include seniors, those with underlying health issues and those in the healthcare field.

New factors

One of the biggest factors playing into releasing COVID booster shots is how new variants, such as Delta affect it. Since the virus seems to be evolving and changing, scientists need to continuously monitor the virus to ensure that the initial vaccine is effective, but that the booster will be as well.

Initial vaccine

Scientists are starting to find that you will likely have to get the same brand of booster as your initial vaccine. Since the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was released later than Pfizer and Moderna, scientists are still waiting on data to conduct research on its effects and how it will play into booster shots.

How will we know if we need a booster?

Things wane over time and this is the case with your body. Over time, your body may not be able to stand strong against such a deadly virus. The first way to protect yourself is to get vaccinated. If you're not sure if you need a booster after your vaccination, you should ask your doctor to run an antibody test. By getting an antibody test, your doctor may be able to see how much protection is still there. Keep in mind that even though it wanes, you are still protected even though you might need a “boost”.

Have you had your COVID-19 booster shot yet? Share your experience with other Healthread members.

Sources

Información general, no consejo médico

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